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Ophthalmic findings in infants of very low birthweight
N A Gibson1, A R Fielder, J Q Trounce
1University of Leicester.
Insights
Very low-birthweight infants often experience ophthalmic abnormalities, including vision and eye-movement disorders. Cystic periventricular leukomalacia, identified via cerebral ultrasound, strongly correlates with these visual impairments.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants face risks for various health complications.
- Neonatal neurological and ophthalmological conditions require early detection and management.
- Cerebral ultrasound and retinopathy of prematurity screening are crucial for VLBW infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present ophthalmic findings in VLBW infants.
- To correlate ophthalmic outcomes with neonatal cerebral ultrasound and retinopathy of prematurity findings.
- To identify associations between specific neonatal conditions and ophthalmic morbidities.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 127 VLBW infants.
- Ophthalmic examinations at a mean corrected age of 7.6 months.
- Analysis of neonatal cerebral ultrasound scans and retinopathy of prematurity screening results.
Main Results:
- 15% of infants (19/127) had significant ophthalmic abnormalities.
- Common abnormalities included reduced visual acuity, strabismus (squints), and supranuclear eye-movement disorders.
- A strong association was observed between cystic periventricular leukomalacia and ophthalmic morbidity.
Conclusions:
- VLBW infants are at high risk for ophthalmic abnormalities.
- Cystic periventricular leukomalacia is a significant predictor of ophthalmic morbidity in this population.
- Integrated neonatal neurological and ophthalmological monitoring is essential for VLBW infants.
Abstract:
The ophthalmic findings in 127 very low-birthweight infants seen at a mean corrected age of 7.6 months (range one to 15 months) are presented and related to their neonatal findings on cerebral ultrasound scanning and eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity. 19 infants (15 per cent) had significant ophthalmic abnormalities, including reduced visual acuity (11), squints (13), disorders of supranuclear eye-movement (three) and retinal abnormalities (eight). A strong association was found between cystic periventricular leukomalacia and ophthalmic morbidity.